Scottish Executive

Care of Elderly People

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what submissions it received between 31 March and 1 July 2002 from East Dunbartonshire Council regarding the (a) deliverability and (b) funding allocations made to the council for the implementation of free personal care for persons aged 65 years or over in the East Dunbartonshire area.

Mr Frank McAveety: We have received no submissions from East Dunbartonshire Council.

Civil Servants

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many senior civil servants were appointed to the (a) Scottish Office and (b) Scottish Administration in each of the last five years by open competition (i) chaired by the Civil Service Commissioners and (ii) run by the Scottish Executive.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information is as follows:


2001-02 2000-01
1999-2000 1998-99
1997-98  Number 
of Senior Civil Servants Recruited to the Scottish Office/Scottish Executive
28 10
12 5
9 
Chaired by Civil Service Commissioners 1
4 3
1 4
 Run by the Scottish Executive
27* 6
9 4
5 

  Note:

  *Including 19 people (both internal Scottish Executive and external candidates) recruited through one exercise.

Civil Servants

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful candidates for senior civil service posts in the (a) Scottish Office and (b) Scottish Administration in each of the last five years were appointed from (i) within the Scottish Office, (ii) within the Scottish Administration, (iii) elsewhere within the civil service, (iv) public sector employment other than the civil service, (v) the private sector and (vi) being unemployed.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is as follows:

  
 Recruitment From:
2001-02 2000-01
1999-2000 1998-99
1997-98  Scottish 
Office -
- -
1 1
 Scottish Executive
16 2
2 -
-  Elsewhere in 
the Civil Service 1
- 1
- 1
 Public Sector
7 6
7 4
6  Private 
Sector 3
2 2
- 1
 Unemployed
1 -
- -
-

Civil Servants

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of candidates for senior civil service posts in the (a) Scottish Office and (b) Scottish Administration were (i) women, (ii) from ethnic minorities and (iii) disabled, in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not retained by the Scottish Executive once competitions have concluded and the successful candidate is in post.

Civil Servants

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of successful candidates for senior civil service posts in the (a) Scottish Office and (b) Scottish Administration were (i) women, (ii) from ethnic minorities and (iii) disabled, in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: In 2001-02, 14 women (50%) were recruited to the senior civil service in the Scottish Executive. Prior to 2001-02 only a small number of (i) women (ii) ethnic minorities and (iii) disabled were recruited to the senior civil service in the Scottish Executive. We are therefore unable to provide either figures or percentages to preserve confidentiality.

Civil Servants

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of its senior civil servants are (a) women, (b) from ethnic minorities, and (c) disabled.

Mr Andy Kerr: Currently there are 49 (29.7%) women in the senior civil service in the Scottish Executive core departments.

  There are a small number of senior civil servants from a minority ethnic background or who have a disability. However, we are unable to provide either figures or percentages to preserve confidentiality.

  The Executive’s Diversity Strategy, Positive about You, was launched in November 2000. It sets demanding targets for the recruitment and progression of our under-represented groups, against which good progress continues to be made.

Civil Servants

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies in the (a) Scottish Office and (b) Scottish Administration in each of the last five years were for (i) head or deputy head of a department, (ii) executive agency chief executive, (iii) head or deputy head of a division and (iv) NHS management posts.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Information requested is as follows:

  
 
Scottish Executive
Scottish Office 
Head/Deputy Head of Department
AgencyChief Executive
Head/Deputy Headof Division
Head/Deputy Head ofDepartment
AgencyChief Executive
Head/Deputy Headof Division
 2001-02
1 1
26 -
- -
 2000-01
4 -
6 -
- -
 1999-2000
1 2
9 -
- -
 1998-99
- -
- -
- 5
 1997-98
- -
- 2
1 6


  We do not hold records for NHS management posts. Anyone appointed to the Health Department will be included in the above figures.

Civil Servants

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacant senior civil service posts it has currently.

Mr Andy Kerr: There are at present two senior civil service vacancies which are in the process of being filled by open competition.

Civil Servants

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many disabled people performed work in the (a) Scottish Office and (b) Scottish Administration in supported employment under (i) WORKSTEP and (ii) the Supported Employment Programme in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive, its agencies and associated departments and the former Scottish Office has employed a small number of individuals under WORKSTEP and its predecessor, the Supported Employment Programme, over the past five years. However, we are unable to provide either figures or percentages to preserve confidentiality. In addition, we have provided a total of 16 short-term supported work placements over the same period.

  The Executive’s Diversity Strategy has set demanding targets for the recruitment and progression of under-represented groups, including staff with disabilities. Good progress is being made towards the achievement of these targets. Currently there are 125 members of staff in the Executive’s core departments who have self–declared a disability and 207 in total.

Civil Servants

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any audit or follow-up audit of the recruitment system of the Scottish Administration or any part of it since May 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: Details of audits and follow-up audits of recruitment systems in the Scottish Administration since May 1999 are given in the table.

   
Subject of Audit Date of 
Audit Date of Follow-Up Audit
 Scottish Executive1
March 1999 April 2001 
Scottish Prison Service September 2001
February 2002  Scottish Courts 
Service July 1999
January 2000  Crown Office and 
Procurator Fiscal Service June 2000
-  Scottish Fisheries Protection 
Agency September 2001
January 2002  Fisheries Research 
Service March 2001
-  Historic Scotland
August 2001 April 2002 
Scottish Agricultural Science Agency July 
2000 December 2000 

  Note:

  1. The Scottish Executive administers recruitment for Scottish Executive core departments, General Register Office for Scotland, National Archives of Scotland, Student Awards Agency for Scotland and Scottish Public Pensions Agency. All of these areas of the Scottish Administration were included in this audit. Future audits of the Scottish Executive will include HM Inspectorate of Education and Communities Scotland, both of which have been established since the last audit took place.

Civil Servants

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the results were of the last audit of the Scottish Administration’s recruitment system.

Mr Andy Kerr: The results of the Civil Service Commissioners last audits of the Scottish Administration’s recruitment practices are summarised in the table.

  
 Breaches
Recommendations Observations
 Scottish Executive1 – March 1999
 None The 
audit resulted in a number of recommendations were made concerning updating of 
recruitment guidance; publication of recruitment data, and tightening of procedures 
in relation to late applications, filing of campaign statistics, training of board 
chairs, setting and application of sift criteria, and recording of comments on 
interview assessment sheets. All have been adopted.
None  Scottish Prison Service – 
September 2001  None
Recommendations were made concerning the retention of adverts and job descriptions 
on recruitment files. All have been adopted.
None  Scottish Courts Service – 
July 1999  None
Recommendations were made concerning recording details of sift participants; 
setting review dates for casual contracts; clarification of rules regarding applicants 
with convictions; establishing regular independent audits; issuing of published 
data to the commissioners; establishing a process for re-instatement/re-employment 
applications; including a disability section in the recruitment manual; improving 
board reports, and separation of medical details from application forms. All have 
been adopted. SCS were commended on their 
recruitment manual, procedure for handling New Deal applicants and running of 
practice interview boards.  Crown 
Office and Procurator Fiscal Service – June 2000 
None It was recommended that a more detailed 
checklist be introduced for checking of records. This recommendation was adopted.
Observations were made that COPFS consider conducting periodic spot checks 
of recruitment at regional offices and consider offering refresher courses to 
staff on selection panels.  Scottish 
Fisheries Protection Agency – September 2001 
One breach was notified in relation to the lack of an independent audit check 
of recruitment systems. This has now been rectified with the introduction of a 
reciprocal arrangement with Fisheries Research Services.
Recommendations were made concerning issuing published data to the Commissioners; 
recording and monitoring of exceptions; strengthening procedures to ensure records 
are properly kept; ensuring sifting criteria are established at the outset and 
consistently applied; recording details of sifts; improving assessment methods; 
ensuring separation of health and equal opportunities data from application forms, 
and compilation of statistics. All recommendations have been adopted.
SFPA were commended on the extent of their published data. 
Fisheries Research Service - March 2001 
One breach was noted in relation to the lack of an independent audit check 
of recruitment systems. This has now been rectified with the introduction of a 
reciprocal arrangement with Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency.
Recommendations were made concerning improvements to the publication of recruitment 
data; monitoring of exceptions, and completion of sift and assessment sheets. 
All recommendations were adopted. Observations 
were made commending the clarity of documentation and the state of campaign records 
and suggesting the provision of guidance to assessors on the scoring of candidates.
 Historic Scotland – August 2001 
None  Recommendations were made concerning 
improvement of the system of internal checks; submission of published data to 
commissioners, monitoring of Job Centre’s compliance with the Recruitment Code; 
placement of advertisements on campaign files; establishment of sift criteria 
at outset and consistent application throughout; recording of sift details; improvement 
of assessment procedures; consistency of board reports; placement of statistics 
on files, and review of guidance to reflect the Recruitment Code. All were adopted.
None  Scottish Agricultural Science 
Agency – July 2000  None
Recommendations were made concerning procedures for internal checks of recruitment; 
publication of recruitment data; recording of trained interviewers; strengthening 
of procedures concerning the use of job centres, and improving procedures relating 
to record keeping and procedural notes. All were adopted.
None 

  Notes:

  1. At the time of this audit the Scottish Executive administered recruitment for Scottish Executive core departments, General Register Office for Scotland, National Archives of Scotland, Student Awards Agency for Scotland and the Scottish Public Pensions Agency.

Civil Servants

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what internal auditing procedures it has in place to ensure that it complies with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Code.

Mr Andy Kerr: The recruitment procedures of the Scottish Executive are subject to audit by the Internal Audit Unit as part of the rolling programme of internal audits. An audit was carried out by the Internal Audit Unit in January 2002.

Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what value of sheriff court fines is presently outstanding, in total and broken down by sheriff court.

The Executive has supplied the following corrected answer:

Mr Jim Wallace: The available information is detailed in the table. The values of sheriff court fines outstanding at 30 June 2002 are the most recent that can be provided.

  Outstanding balance of sheriff court fines as at 30 June 2002 (£s)

   
Sheriff Court Value
 Aberdeen 
 468,396  
Airdrie   384,830 
  Alloa 
 149,863  
Ayr   261,201 
  Arbroath 
 101,428  
Banff   58,199 
  Campbeltown 
 34,887  
Cupar   45,121 
  Dingwall 
 60,718  
Dornoch   30,231 
  Dumbarton 
 215,343  
Dumfries  204,962 
  Dundee
 367,576  
Dunfermline  293,219 
  Dunoon
 40,671  
Duns  31,963 
 Edinburgh
 1,576,620  
Elgin  231,562 
  Falkirk
 426,205  
Forfar  63,843 
  Fort William
 44,772  
Glasgow  1,902,524 
  Greenock
 228,094  
Haddington  108,883 
  Hamilton
 657,684  
Inverness  203,717 
  Jedburgh
 83,715  
Kilmarnock  525,015 
  Kirkcaldy
 311,172  
Kirkcudbright  
61,847   Kirkwall
 30,838  
Lanark  87,331 
  Lerwick
 31,651  
Linlithgow  335,878 
  Lochmaddy
 7,545  
Oban  36,494 
 Paisley
 612,914  
Peebles  20,514 
  Perth
 276,424  
Peterhead  173,600 
  Portree
 4,528  
Rothesay  10,280 
  Selkirk
 65,039  
Stirling  161,553 
  Stonehaven
 24,489  
Stornoway  39,811 
  Stranraer
 242,518  
Tain  89,603 
 Wick
 52,369  
Total 11,477,640

Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken and is taking to ensure that all of its buildings comply with the letter and spirit of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive commissioned Access Audits in 1996 on the office buildings it is responsible for. Following consideration of the audits a rolling programme of work was agreed in order to ensure that the buildings comply by January 2004, in line with the timing set out in Part III of the act.

Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken and is taking to ensure that civic and business communities are aware of their responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken and is taking to ensure that local authorities (a) are aware of their responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and (b) comply with the act.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken and is taking to raise general awareness of disability rights issues and, in particular, changes made to such rights by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Hugh Henry: The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) is reserved to the UK Parliament. The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) is working to ensure that service providers and employers, including local authorities, are informed of the current requirements and are prepared in good time for the new duties coming into force in 2004. A UK Government campaign for 2002-03 is currently being formulated. The Scottish Executive is looking to work with the DWP and the Disability Rights Commission in Scotland in taking this and future campaigns forward.

  Previous awareness-raising activity has included:

  In 1998, a mailshot to service providers alerting them to the consultation on the code of practice on rights of access. An extensive national press and radio advertising campaign, advising service providers to call the DDA Helpline to find out more, complemented the mailshot.

  In June 1999 the "See the Person" campaign aimed to challenge stereotyping and raise awareness of rights and responsibilities under the DDA. It included TV and radio advertising, posters, articles and endorsements by celebrities.

  "What have you got to offer?" launched in autumn 2000, was specifically aimed at small and medium businesses who provide goods and services to the public, focussing on practical advice and guidance.

  The latest campaign "Open to Change" which ran from January to March this year in the national, regional and trade press, was aimed at service providers and illustrated the types of changes they can make to improve the delivery of their goods and services to disabled people.

  The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) also published a new code of practice in February this year, covering the 2004 accessibility duties. The code is accompanied by a series of guides for small businesses.

  The DRC will take the lead in ensuring that the duties of the DDA are complied with.

Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources are available or will be made available to allow local authorities to ensure that all of their educational establishments comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Cathy Jamieson: An extra £9 million will be available in 2003-04 in Revenue Support Grant to assist local authorities in preparing and implementing their accessibility strategies under the Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils' Educational Records) Act 2002.

  In addition, local authorities can use general revenue grant and other sources of funding to ensure their schools and nursery schools review their policies and make adjustments to ensure so that they comply with the new duties under Part IV of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Other funding sources include:

  Inclusion Programme funding under the National Priorities Action Fund - £20 million is available in both0 2002-03 and 2003-04 (up from £14.3 million in 2001-02);

  SEN Specific Grant for In-Service Training - £7.8 million is available in both 2002-03 and 2003-04 (up from £5.4 million in 2001-02).

Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all local authorities will meet the criteria for education under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 by the implementation date of 1 September 2002.

Cathy Jamieson: The Disability Rights Commission has sent copies of its Code of Practice (Schools) to all schools and local authorities in Scotland. Local authorities and schools will be able to use this code to ensure that they understand and meet their new duties under Part IV of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Disabled Students' Allowance

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend the Disabled Students’ Allowance to postgraduate education.

Iain Gray: The Disabled Students' Allowance is currently available to all full-time postgraduate students in receipt of support towards tuition fees and/or living costs from the Students Awards Agency for Scotland.

  While we have no current plans to extend these arrangements to other postgraduate students, we will consider this in the light of the forthcoming lifelong learning strategy.

Education

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each school has spent on books in each of the last five years.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not collected by the Scottish Executive.

Education

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many and (b) what percentage of school classrooms are equipped with a minimum of four modern computers.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not held centrally. The latest School Census, carried out in September 2001, showed that the pupil:computer ratio was 11:1 in primary schools and 5:1 in secondary schools. The targets for 2002 are 7.5:1 in primary schools and 5:1 in secondary schools. Schools and authorities decide how these should be deployed within the school.

Education

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many and (b) what percentage of school classes have exclusive access to a minimum of four modern computers.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not held centrally. The latest School Census, carried out in September 2001, showed that the pupil:computer ratio was 11:1 in primary schools and 5:1 in secondary schools. The targets for 2002 are 7.5:1 in primary schools and 5:1 in secondary schools. The deployment of these computers within schools is a matter for local decision.

Education

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many and (b) what percentage of teachers have a classroom computer.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not held centrally. Schools and authorities decide how computers should be deployed within the school.

Enterprise

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive with regard to the Clyde Shipyards Task Force report, what progress has been made in community investment around the Scotstoun shipyard.

Iain Gray: The Clyde Shipyards Task Force report highlighted nine regeneration projects in the Scotstoun area. Scottish Enterprise Glasgow is currently in the process of seeking options for funding these.

European Union

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the draft European Union framework decision on the confiscation of crime-related proceeds, instrumentalities and property.

Mr Jim Wallace: The provisions of the draft framework decision on the confiscation of crime-related proceeds, instrumentalities and property, if adopted, will be implemented as required throughout the UK as part of the UK’s international obligations. However, in Scotland, the implementation would take account of the distinctive Scottish legal system.

European Union

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any specific representations to Her Majesty’s Government on the draft European Union framework decision on the confiscation of crime-related proceeds, instrumentalities and property and what form any such representations took.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the draft framework decision on the confiscation of crime-related proceeds, instrumentalities and property.

European Union

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any specific representations to (a) the Council of the European Union, (b) any member or body of the European Parliament, (c) any member or body of the Committee of the Regions and (d) the European Commission, on the draft European Union framework decision on the confiscation of crime-related proceeds, instrumentalities and property and what form any such representations took.

Mr Jim Wallace: Negotiations within the European Union on the draft framework decision on the confiscation of crime-related proceeds, instrumentalities and property are being conducted by the UK Government, taking due account of the views of the devolved administrations. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the draft framework decision.

European Union

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the European Union framework decision on combating corruption in the private sector will have on Scots law.

Mr Jim Wallace: The draft framework decision on combating corruption in the private sector seeks to harmonise member states’ legislation relating to corruption in the private sector by establishing common offences and penalties to be adopted by member states. The Scottish Executive is studying the draft framework decision to determine what the implications might be for Scotland.

European Union

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any specific representations to Her Majesty’s Government on the draft European Union framework decision on combating corruption in the private sector and what form any such representations took.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of EU–related issues, including the draft framework decision on combating corruption in the private sector.

European Union

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any specific representations to (a) the Council of the European Union, (b) any member or body of the European Parliament, (c) any member or body of the Committee of the Regions and (d) the European Commission, on the draft European Union framework decision on combating corruption in the private sector and what form any such representations took.

Mr Jim Wallace: Negotiations within the European Union on the draft framework decision on combating corruption in the private sector are being conducted by the UK Government, taking due account of the views of the devolved administrations. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the draft framework decision.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any compensation will be offered to fishermen who have effort displaced due to the introduction of total allowable catches for deep water species off Scotland's west coast.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has no plans to offer such compensation.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or Her Majesty's Government has any right to appeal against the European Council of Ministers' decision to introduce total allowable catches for deep water species off Scotland's west coast.

Ross Finnie: There is no integral appeals procedure related to decisions taken by the Council of Ministers. A legal challenge could in principle be mounted against EU regulation, but there would need to be good grounds for any such challenge and, in considering such a step, we would need to consider the wider position and the prospects of a more satisfactory outcome.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26841 by Ross Finnie on 1 July 2002, whether it or its officials had any indication following the Fisheries Council in December 2000 that the European Council of Ministers favoured the introduction of total allowable catches in the deep water fishery off Scotland's west coast.

Ross Finnie: During working group discussions flowing from the December 2000 council on the introduction of total allowable catches for deep water species a number of member states made it clear that they could support this provided it was accompanied by measures for effort restriction. This was reflected in the positions taken by the Council of Ministers at the June Fisheries Council.

Food Safety

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what food safety regulations, rules and legislation apply to mobile snack and burger vans.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Mobile snack and burger vans are subject to the same regulations, rules and legislation as other retail and catering food businesses, the most important being the Food Safety Act 1990 and the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995 which are made under the act.

Glasgow Harbour

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many homes to be created in the Glasgow Harbour development will be in the social rented sector.

Ms Margaret Curran: None.

Glasgow Harbour

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution the proposed Glasgow Harbour development will make to retaining a social mix in the west end of Glasgow.

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what formal assessment has been made of the local social and economic impact of the Glasgow Harbour development.

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what community installations have been arranged in respect of the Glasgow Harbour development.

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision has been made to include community facilities and small business premises in the Glasgow Harbour development.

Hugh Henry: The outline planning application for this proposed development was cleared back to Glasgow City Council on 28 June 2001 by the Scottish ministers. It was thereafter for the council to decide what issues were relevant when determining whether to grant planning permission.

Hospitals

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new hospital developments have begun in the NHS since May 1999 and how many such developments have been funded by public private partnership (PPP) or private finance initiative (PFI).

Malcolm Chisholm: In addition to a number of major projects under construction in May 1999, building has begun on a further 11 new hospital developments in NHSScotland since the beginning of May 1999. Of these, four have been funded publicly and seven through PPP/PFI.

  Details of these projects are given in the following table:

   
Project Name Construction Start Date
Capital Value(£ million)
Funding Route  Balivanich Hospital, 
Benbecula May 1999
7.2 Public 
New Craigs Psychiatry Unit, Inverness  May 
1999 16.5
PPP/PFI  Geriatric Assessment 
Facility, Larkfield, Greenock July 1999
10.0 PPP/PFI 
Care of Elderly Services at Tippethill Hospital, West Lothian
July 1999 2.3
PPP/PFI  Geriatric Medicine and 
Assessment Facility, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow 
September 1999 11.0
PPP/PFI  Carseview Psychiatric 
Services, Dundee September 1999
10.0 PPP/PFI 
Balfour Hospital, Orkney, Phase II October 
1999 5.0
Public  Day Surgery and Maternity 
Unit, Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary
May 2000 10.0
PPP/PFI  New Royal Aberdeen Children’s 
Hospital August 2001
24.6 Public 
Leith Community Treatment Centre, Edinburgh
August 2002 8.5
Public  North East Edinburgh 
Continuing Care (Findlay House) August 2002
4.0 PPP/PFI

Hospitals

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to investigate any low rates of pay and different conditions applying to Sodexho ancillary staff in hospitals compared with NHS staff.

Malcolm Chisholm: We have no such plans.

Housing (Scotland) Act 2001

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidance on the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 will include guidance to local authorities on the mix of social housing.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive believes that the mix of social housing is a matter for local authorities to determine in accordance with local circumstances. It therefore does not wish to be prescriptive on what the mix should be. It does, however, offer local authorities general guidance on the preparation of their local housing strategies.

Mental Health

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is an action plan with clear targets, milestones and timescales to take forward implementation of The Same as You? .

Mr Frank McAveety: The main strategy documents for the implementation of The Same as You? are the Partnership in Practice agreements which set out, at local level, targets, milestones and timescales. Through Partnership in Practice agreements every area in Scotland has a clear strategy for implementing The Same as You? .

Mental Health

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made to date with implementation of The Same as You? .

Mr Frank McAveety: Significant progress has been made with all 29 recommendations of The Same as You? review of services for people with learning disability. Particular milestones include the setting up of Learning Disability Change Funds with effect from April 2001, totalling £36 million in the first three years; establishment of the Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability, launched on five October 2001, and preparation of Partnership in Practice agreements in every area in Scotland. Working with The Same as You? Implementation Group we will continue to work to ensure progress is maintained.

Mental Health

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether local area co-ordinators are in place in every local authority and how many such posts (a) have been created in addition to the existing staffing complement and (b) form part of an existing member of staff’s remit to take forward implementation of The Same as You? , broken down by local authority area.

Mr Frank McAveety: The process of appointing local area co-ordinators across Scotland has only begun recently, and will take some time. Most local authorities have given a commitment to appoint local area co-ordinators by the end of 2002.

Mental Health

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local area co-ordinators were appointed by the deadline set in The Same as You? , broken down by local authority area.

Mr Frank McAveety: There is no deadline for appointing local area co-ordinators. The recommendation in The Same as You? is that "initial training for putting local area co-ordinators in place will begin in autumn 2001".

  Training for local area co-ordinators started in the autumn of 2001, and there have been subsequent training events run by Scottish Human Services and the Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability.

Mental Health

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether local area co-ordinators are linked electronically in order to assist communication with regard to The Same as You? .

Mr Frank McAveety: Yes. We have established an e-mail network of local authority and NHS contacts for the Partnership in Practice agreements. Local area co-ordinators can use this electronic network to communicate with each other, and with other stakeholders.

Modern Apprenticeships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many modern apprenticeships have been created since May 1999.

Iain Gray: 35,700.

Museums

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the findings of the Scottish Museums Council following its national audit of Scotland's museums and galleries, whether there is a need for a national framework that recognises the principle of a distributed national collection and within which a sustainable future can be built for museums and galleries throughout Scotland and, if so, what plans there are to implement such a framework.

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the findings of the Scottish Museums Council following its national audit of Scotland's museums and galleries, what measures will be introduced in order to ensure effective stewardship of the distributed national collections.

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the findings of the Scottish Museums Council following its national audit of Scotland's museums and galleries, what measures will be introduced to reform historic funding structures in order to address inconsistency of museum provision.

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the findings of the Scottish Museums Council following its national audit of Scotland's museums and galleries, what steps will be taken to work in close partnership with the formal and informal education sectors in order to ensure an effective contribution to learning.

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the findings of the Scottish Museums Council following its national audit of Scotland's museums and galleries, what measures will be introduced in order to actively build museum audiences and encourage access for all.

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the findings of the Scottish Museums Council following its national audit of Scotland's museums and galleries, what measures will be introduced to raise standards and modernise practice in order to meet "rising user expectations in the 21st century".

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the findings of the Scottish Museums Council following its national audit of Scotland's museums and galleries, what steps will be taken to increase capacity within the museum sector in order to develop and deliver services for the future.

Dr Elaine Murray: The Executive announced on 10 July, following the publication of the Scottish Museums Council’s national audit of Scottish museums and galleries, that a consultation exercise would be launched in mid-August to assist in developing an action plan for Scotland's museums and galleries sector. The consultation will close on 29 November 2002.

Police

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dedicated anti-drugs police officers there have been in each police force in each of the last five years.

Mr Jim Wallace: Information on the number of police officers engaged on anti-drugs work in each police force in the last five years is provided in the following table. It should be noted that for 2000-01 and 2001-02 the figures include the 100 additional police officers, funded by the Scottish Drugs Enforcement Agency (SDEA), who have been deployed to tackle drug misuse at a local level.

   
Number of Officers 
Force 1997-98
1998-99 1999-2000
2000-01 2001-02
 Central
7 12
15 20
18  Dumfries 
and Galloway 13
11 10
14 15
 Fife
16 16
22 32
31  Grampian
9 12
10 27
26  Lothian 
and Borders 20
20 13
37 60
 Northern
18 8
16 20
16  Strathclyde
28 27
28 96
106  Tayside
19 3
7 24
24  Total
130 109
121 270
296 

  Source: Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary: Annual Statistical Returns.

Racism

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the European Union framework decision on combating racism and xenophobia will have on Scots law.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive is studying the Framework Decision to determine what the implications might be for Scots law.

Racism

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the draft European Union framework decision on combating racism and xenophobia.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive supports the objective of the framework decision: that racist and xenophobic crime should be punishable by effective, proportionate and dissuasive criminal penalties.

Schools

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new school developments have begun in the public sector since May 1999 and how many such developments have been funded by public private partnership or private finance initiative.

Nicol Stephen: Information is only collected centrally about numbers of new public sector schools completed, rather than begun, in each financial year. For the period April 1999 to March 2001, 20 such new schools were completed, of which six were funded by public private partnership or private finance initiative. Information for the period from April 2001 is not yet available.

Schools

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have submitted bids in respect of Phase 4 of the New Community Schools initiative and how many further bids are anticipated.

Cathy Jamieson: Thirty-one local authorities have submitted bids for funding in respect of the new community school roll-out approach. It is hoped to receive a bid from the remaining authority in the near future.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list capital and revenue allocations to each social inclusion partnership area in real terms for each year since the partnerships were established to 2002-03 and how much of the expenditure allocated to each partnership has been spent in each of these years to date.

The Executive has supplied the following corrected answer:

Ms Margaret Curran: Allocations and expenditure for 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2001-02 and allocations only 2002-03, for the Social Inclusion Partnerships (SIP), are shown in the tables, all expressed in 2000-01 real terms. From 2001-02 there is no capital/revenue split.

  Table 1 shows figures for 1999-2000

  
 Council
SIP Capital 
Allocation Expenditure
Revenue Allocation
Expenditure  Aberdeen 
City Great Northern
0 0
833,270 833,270
 Angus Arbroath
0 0
144,200 144,200
 Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute 44,290
44,474 167,890
166,792  Clack'shire
Alloa S and E 218,360
203,604 554,140
603,145 
Dundee Dundee 1
180,250 177,592
2,407,110 2,406,644
 Dundee 2
0 0
815,760 815,760
 Xplore
77,250 70,970
231,750 115,846
 Young Carers
10,300 5,150
47,380 19,912
 East Ayrshire
E. Ayr Coalfields 261,620
259,066 501,610
455,868  East Lothian
Tranent 0
0 96,820
96,563  East Renfrewshire
Levern Valley 103,000
90,061 342,990
480,867 
Edinburgh Craigmillar
0 0
1,774,690 1,719,498
 Strategic Prog.
25,750 25,750
1,187,590 1,105,256
 Edinburgh Youth
21,115 20,600
190,035 167,201
 North Edinburgh
639,630 639,485
2,323,680 2,275,705
 South Edinburgh
257,500 16,920
504,700 504,700
 Fife
Fife 0
0 773,530
741,942  Frae Fife
0 0
96,820 57,482
 Falkirk
Falkirk 0
0 566,500
566,500 
Glasgow Drumchapel
1,158,750 991,108
772,500 643,991
 GARA 92,700
41,715 518,425
437,443  Big Step
97,335 0
292,005 89,917
 East End
641,175 651,722
2,242,825 2,100,742
 North Glasgow
47,380 45,696
3,351,620 3,292,414
 Smaller Areas
0 0
1,133,000 1,129,456
 Routes Out
48,281 0
144,844 67,130
 Gorbals
361,123 308,189
218,252 249,229
 Gt'r Easterhouse
618,000 616,976
2,884,000 2,862,652
 Greater Govan
230,463 229,382
155,788 130,265
 Greater Pollok
1,030,515 1,030,515
746,235 722,188
 Milton
90,323 86,666
115,753 88,746
 Springburn
149,236 152,889
57,090 53,198
 Highland
Highland 216,300
125,943 404,790
368,179  Inverclyde
Inverclyde 473,800
468,795 2,614,140
2,612,187  Moray
Youth Start 101,309
96,731 335,411
335,411  North 
Ayrshire North Ayrshire
103,000 103,000
696,280 713,336
 N.Lanarkshire
Motherwell North 154,500
106,564 1,421,400
1,262,555  N'Lanarkshire
51,500 50,493
824,000 780,884
 S' Coatbridge
0 0
257,500 215,215
 Perth and Kinross
GO 0
0 131,840
47,974  Renfrewshire
Paisley 109,180
108,944 2,961,250
2,722,810  Renfrewshire
Ferguslie Park 128,100
45,502 554,143
499,100  Scottish 
Borders Scottish Borders
0 0
221,450 159,165
 South Ayrshire
Girvan 128,750
107,319 195,700
191,225  North 
Ayr 386,250
515,000 1,166,990
1,493,842 
South Lanarkshire Blantyre/N. H'ton
206,000 203,688
309,000 309,514
 Cambuslang
206,000 206,625
412,000 409,928
 Stirling
SPUR 51,500
51,500 548,990
548,327  West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire 515,000
494,756 1,743,790
1,757,545  West 
Lothian West Lothian
0 0
193,640 175,916
 Total
9,235,534 8,393,392
41,185,115 39,748,084


  Table 2 shows figures for 2000-01

  
 Council
SIP Capital Allocation
Expenditure Revenue 
Allocation Expenditure
 Aberdeen City
Great Northern 0
0 844,000
844,000  Angus
Arbroath 0
0 0
0  Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute 60,000
40,791 220,000
250,819  Clack'shire
Alloa S and E 325,000
323,758 692,000
691,025 
Dundee Dundee 1
100,000 100,289
2,019,000 2,006,449
 Dundee 2
0 0
453,000 448,030
 Xplore
15,000 14,832
485,000 254,618
 Young Carers
5,000 5,000
100,000 96,404
 East Ayrshire
E. Ayr Coalfields 79,000
79,000 963,250
963,043  East Lothian
Tranent 0
0 128,000
128,000  East Renfrewshire
Levern Valley 100,000
62,121 346,000
466,085 
Edinburgh Craigmillar
92,735 91,252
1,662,600 1,640,706
 Strategic Prog.
25,000 21,083
525,450 516,407
 Edinburgh Youth
7,000 7,000
560,000 554,891
 North Edinburgh
460,000 456,178
2,129,575 2,100,245
 South Edinburgh
257,500 257,500
733,438 706,998
 Fife
Fife 0
0 630,000
630,000  Frae Fife
0 0
164,750 153,817
 Falkirk
Falkirk 5,229
0 578,750
578,750 
Glasgow Drumchapel
845,390 773,802
1,909,890 1,820,630
 GARA 0
0 780,500
757,294  Big Step
209,328 183,217
513,000 382,324
 East End
682,000 652,723
2,186,000 2,138,988
 North Glasgow
16,500 14,407
2,970,500 2,970,499
 Smaller Areas
5,229 5,229
1,372,771 751,944
 Routes Out
40,000 40,000
313,000 229,706
 Gorbals
187,000 187,000
577,000 544,298
 Gt'r Easterhouse
350,000 345,251
3,141,000 3,050,175
 Greater Govan
148,559 127,169
360,441 353,850
 Greater Pollok
1,098,867 890,998
1,244,133 1,109,918
 Milton
200,000 94,150
564,000 487,633
 Springburn
20,000 21,178
744,000 715,380
 Highland
Highland 209,572
167,188 677,253
642,141  Inverclyde
Inverclyde 465,000
470,444 1,956,000
1,953,291  Moray
Youth Start 140,000
140,000 436,000
436,000  North 
Ayrshire North Ayrshire
100,000 84,000
630,000 630,000
 North Lanarkshire
Motherwell North 50,000
50,000 1,579,500
1,483,240  N'Lanarkshire
0 0
886,250 853,681
 S' Coatbridge
50,000 46,017
666,000 559,107
 Perth and Kinross
GO 13,500
0 181,261
167,706 
Renfrewshire Paisley
115,000 90,239
2,832,000 2,657,937
 Ferguslie Park
178,000 117,520
923,000 751,426
 Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders 0
0 235,000
226,679 
South Ayrshire Girvan
132,000 129,202
296,000 288,385
 North Ayr
262,500 275,579
1,283,438 1,578,339
 South Lanarkshire
Blantyre/N. H'ton 250,000
249,721 769,000
811,289  Cambuslang
200,000 198,890
425,000 394,385
 Stirling
SPUR 50,000
48,395 476,000
469,051  West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire 520,000
519,098 1,567,000
1,567,275  West 
Lothian W. Lothian
0 0
256,000 253,525
 Total
8,064,680 7,380,221
45,985,750 44,066,383


  Table 3 shows both figures for 2001-02 and Allocations only for 2002-03:

   
Council SIP
Allocation Expenditure*
2002-03 Allocation 
Aberdeen City Great Northern
834,700 368,969
846,855  Argyll 
and Bute Argyll and Bute
362,570 121,851
358,668  Clack'shire
Alloa S and E 1,019,316
426,264 1,008,936
 Dundee
Dundee 1 2,052,380
982,894 2,134,323
 Dundee 2
410,329 154,057
304,236  Xplore
581,590 168,931
482,318  Young 
Carers 102,128
35,395 106,206
 East Ayrshire
E. Ayr Coalfields 1,351,232
640,441 1,762,604
 East Lothian
Tranent 153,192
86,303 159,309
 East Renfrewshire
Levern Valley 456,083
220,485 338,256
 Edinburgh
Craigmillar 1,733,230
722,771 1,758,470
 Strategic Prog.
519,724 229,798
385,884  Edinburgh 
Youth 563,668
223,172 586,173
 North Edinburgh
2,344,034 888,998
2,378,168  South 
Edinburgh 1,108,678
294,673 1,510,366
 Fife
Fife 628,971
308,974 467,532
 Frae Fife
128,642 52,619
133,778  Falkirk
Falkirk 575,059
344,210 427,532
 Glasgow
Drumchapel 2,706,850
889,427 2,653,363
 GARA 769,152
279,995 773,054
 Big Step
579,815 221,158
476,904  East End
2,854,674 1,102,457
2,968,650  North 
Glasgow 2,992,154
1,623,934 3,111,619
 Smaller Areas
1,785,399 24,184
1,736,053  Routes 
Out 319,692
72,772 268,577
 Gorbals
764,978 256,131
795,521  Gt'r Easterhouse
3,475,298 1,312,832
3,614,053  Greater 
Govan 880,835
334,596 1,244,852
 Greater Pollok
2,954,376 886,805
3,088,530  Milton
925,167 267,918
795,521  Springburn
810,150 352,746
824,497  Highland
Highland 874,471
268,639 832,907
 Inverclyde
Inverclyde 2,377,422
1,017,543 2,504,843
 Moray Youth 
Start 438,954
122,087 456,479
 North Ayrshire
North Ayrshire 729,307
32,910 541,404
 North Lanarkshire
Motherwell North 1,611,217
452,588 1,628,826
 N'Lanarkshire
888,047 222,488
659,016  S' Coatbridge
778,726 176,333
748,545  Perth 
and Kinross GO
223,950 76,306
205,263 
Renfrewshire Paisley
2,643,695 1,074,880
2,896,050  Ferguslie 
Park 1,102,444
497,234 N/A
 Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders 247,464
112,497 257,345
 South Ayrshire
Girvan 358,037
159,239 436,056
 North Ayr
1,528,974 544,068
1,551,239 
South Lanarkshire Blantyre/N. H'ton
2,078,609 956,211
3,102,478  Cambuslang
619,986 189,843
459,756  Stirling
SPUR 521,147
245,647 386,856
 West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire 2,038,632
839,385 2,120,027
 West Lothian
West Lothian 205,238
85,282 213,433
 Total
56,010,385 20,968,937
56,519,479 

  Note:

  *Payments made for 1st and 2nd quarters for 2001-02.

Veterinary Medicines

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any reports of incidents of poisoning during the 1989-90 trial of Nuvan500/Aquaguard by the Veterinary Products Committee.

Allan Wilson: No such reports have been received.